Amazing Grace
by Exmoorpony
Summary: What will happen when Sam discovers something new in the personality and past of a previously hated person?  What will happen when she suffers from a bad accident?  Read to find out!
1. Space Traveller

The sixteen year old girl sat on the edge of her four poster bed. Looking around her, a person would seemingly be able to describe her personality by what dominated her walls. Movie posters, pink hearts and an expensive oak make-up desk all shared space. She glanced up and looked intently at the picture of the white stallion that locals called the 'Phantom'. Then, her head shot down and she began sobbing silently, surrounded by fuzzy pink lies.

On the nearby River Bend Ranch, a girl of a similar age bounded down the stairs from her bedroom, whistling an unknown tune as she washed her hands for breakfast. "Good morning, Gram." She was very cheerful that morning. Her Gram, shaking a frying pan of sausages smiled and answered. "Good morning to you too, sweetheart." The voice was warm and loving. Sam felt a sudden urge of childhood longing and gave her grandmother a big hug. Then she sat at the table to a breakfast of eggs, toast and sausages. "Hey dad. What's going on today?"

"What's going on today, Samantha Anne, is you doing your chores and going to school, then doing your homework." Sam rolled her eyes at him and ate up.

Sam walked into her class. It was the first day of eleventh grade. There were no seating arrangements, but when she looked around the teen groaned. Only one chair was left, and it was next to her enemy, Rachel Slocum. With impeccable make-up, wealthy parents and expensive toys, the other girl was the other end of the spectrum. Throughout high school, Sam had been bullied by the girl. Was it a cruel twist of fate that they were next to each other? Sam looked at Rachel and waited, for the other girl to make a snarky remark, but it didn't come. The other girl just stared straight ahead. "SAMANTHA ANNE FORSTER!" Sam snapped out of her reverie. "Yes sir?"

"I'm glad you finished visiting the moon and are ready to join us. Now, could you concentrate on my English lesson?" Rachel would normally be whispering a rude comment about spacing out to Sam, but she wasn't. Sam couldn't believe her luck! Her high school enemy had decided to ignore her. Hallelujah! Then Sam looked at Rachel. One single tear was slipping down her cheek. Sam was shocked, and tried to put her attention back on her lesson instead.

**If you notice anything odd about the school atmosphere, drop me a line okay? I'm Canadian and don't know American school practices. I probably don't know exactly how Canadian schools are either, because I'm homeschooled too! Cookies for everyone! **

**Now please review!**


	2. Flowers for Gram

The girl was lonely, so lonely. After pushing away others for so long, it was hard to become caring again. Even if she succeeded in that, would anyone want her as a friend, considering what she had done in her past?

Sam walked home, thinking about life, horses, family and the few other things that really mattered. Despite Gram's insistence that education was for her own good, Sam purposely left 'school' off her mental list.

She walked into her empty house. Her dad was in the fields and Brynna was still at work with the Mustangs. Gram was likely working in her garden out front, probably with Cody, Sam's little brother. She smiled, thinking of the kid as she went to the fridge and took out an apple for her afternoon snack. As she munched, her mind drifted to early that morning in English. Rachel's tear. Was she unhappy? She had everything she could ever want and more. Sam shook her head in puzzlement. Then a scream shook her from her drifting thoughts. She rushed to the door just in time to see a silver truck veer off the road into the nearest ditch. It flew over the ditch, heading for River Bend Ranch property. Sam gasped at what she was seeing before screaming. "GRAM!" Her voice was filled with anxiety and the terrible horror of the situation as she rushed for the phone and dialled 9-1-1 as quickly as possible before speaking into the receiver in a breathless tone. "I need at least two ambulances down at River Bend Ranch! A truck has crashed. I don't know how many are injured but at least two! Please come as quickly as possible!" On the verge of tears, she gave the address of the ranch before rushing over to her grandmother and, gulping, she spoke. "Gram...oh Gram...hang in there. We need you. We love you...I love you. Don't leave us." Gram simply looked at her only granddaughter. "Sammy girl, you need to be strong. I love you. Pass your love onto others for me?"

"I will. I will. I will, Gram, but you'll be okay. You'll be alright. You're going to be okay, Gram." The girl was in tears. She began sobbing when Gram closed her eyes slowly, taking her last breath. The ambulance came, but it was too late. The Sheriff came too, meaning to question witnesses, but he left Sam alone in her grief. Sam stood slowly and walked over to her brother, who was still standing shocked in the place he was at the time of the accident. A stab of pain wrenched Sam's heart as she realized. He was in the middle of the lane that the truck had needed, his lip quivering, his eyes wide, as he stood there with a small bouquet of roadside wildflowers.

**Hate me yet? I know. It almost killed me to do that to Gram, but it's a good plot. Poor Cody though! **

**Read and review!**


	3. The Fault

The next day, Sam dressed for school reluctantly, her body still numb from the shock of the previous day's events. Her grandmother was dead, but she would still have to slog through Math 11. She caught the bus and took her regular seat. The empty seat beside her would stay that way. Jennifer Kenworthy was sick that day. Her friend, Darryl, sat in the seat in front of her. He frowned sympathetically. "I heard about Gram. I'm so sorry, Sam."

"Thanks. Heard who was in the other vehicle? I haven't watched the news."

"You certainly have good reason for that. Linc Slocum." Sam's eyes widened. Linc? He had swerved to avoid Cody, so he wasn't all bad. "How is he?" Darryl was about to answer when Rachel, walking in the aisle, answered Sam in a cool voice. "My father is in a coma. The housekeeper is taking care of me right now. My mum doesn't even care enough to book a flight over from England." The girl clenched her jaw and gestured to the empty seat. "Could I sit here? My friend didn't bother saving a seat for me." Sam, shocked, just nodded. Rachel sat down and spoke in a quiet, reserved tone foreign to what Sam was used to hearing from the girl. "I'm sorry about your grandmother. I'm pretty sure I'll miss her too, even though I didn't know her as well."

"Why would you miss her, Rachel?"

"She was one of the few around here who were genuinely kind to me. Some have been kind because they see a gain around the corner from my family. She was kind no matter what happened. It felt good to know someone cared." Sam was shocked. Her previous enemy was sharing her thoughts with Sam? "W-why are you t-telling me this, R-Rachel?"

"You haven't been fake kind and caring to me. You didn't like me, sure, but you always showed your true feelings. You weren't faking them for the sake of gain." Sam was thinking about the words when Gram's last words popped into her head. Kindness. Forgiveness. Rachel needed them both and Sam could give them. It didn't matter what the girl had done in the past. It should be forgiven. Sam smiled and gave the other girl a small hug. "How are you doing?"

"I hope my dad pulls through. What else can I do? I'm a sixteen year old teenager used to the pampered life. There's nothing I can do. You on the other hand. You're a lot like your grandmother."

"That's a great huge compliment, but I don't deserve it. I'm not like her."

"You've the potential and that's what counts. Thank you." Sam was caught off-guard. This wasn't the Rachel she had known. However, she knew that people changed so she would try to accept the new Rachel, if only to honour Gram's memory. "Why the sudden change of heart, Rachel?"

"For years I've been mean to you and hung out with my friends. My father has pampered me all my life. Look where it's gotten me, Sam. My friend didn't even save me a seat on the bus. Money does no-one any good when you have no true friends and your dad is in a coma because of a plea for another expensive play-thing. It's MY fault he could die, Sam!"

"No, Rachel. It's a freak accident. You were just going about your regular activities. Cody was working with Gram in the garden. He went across the road to pick wildflowers for her, and it went wrong. It's nobody's fault."

"Don't you see though, Sam? If I hadn't been so selfish, then my dad wouldn't have been on the road. He wouldn't be in a coma, and your Gram would still be alive!" The girl was in tears. Sam put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Rachel was really no different than the other girls in the neighbourhood. "It does nobody any good to blame themselves. Your dad could've said 'no' to what you asked, but he didn't. Gram could have stayed inside, but she didn't. Cody could've stayed on River Bend, but he didn't. Things happen, Rachel. It's no-one's fault. Besides, everything happens for a reason."

"This horrible thing? Have a bright side, Sam? You're too sunny and optimistic."

"Maybe your dad won't pamper you as much. Maybe Cody'll look both ways before crossing. Maybe you won't be as selfish. No offense."

"None taken, Sam." The girl smiled and listened as Sam continued. "It's already accomplished some things. All through high school, you bullied me. Now look at us! We're talking like old friends. We would never have talked to each other if the accident hadn't happened! We can't change the past, Rachel. We can just improve the future."

**And that's a wrap, folks! How'd you like it? I know it's different. You probably all hated Rachel. I did too. Then I was thinking of a plot and I suddenly pictured Rachel crying on the edge of her bed. I don't really know why I did, but I tried to think of why she might, and wrote this story.**

**Extreme apologies if you thought Sam and Rachel were out of character. Considering the plot, I did my best! :)**


End file.
